1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the field of art as established in and by the U.S. Patent Office this invention is believed to be found in the general class entitled "Article Dispensing" (Class 221) and in the subclasses therein entitled "Spring biased to discharging position" (subclass 271) and also to the subclass entitled "Cam" (subclass 273) and to the subclass entitled "Spring biased" (subclass 276).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The high speed dispensing of electrical components has been the subject of many patents and also many non-patented commercial apparatus. Zig-zag chutes for gravity assembly and discharge of tubular shaped electrical components are well known and used since a zig-zag chute reduces the gravity pressure on the single file arrayed components. The use of cam actuated slides for delivery of components is not new but a high speed dispenser in the present invention is novel.
In the course of a pre-Ex search the following U.S. Patents were noted: No. 979,318 to MARRIOTT as issued Dec. 20, 1910; U.S. Pat. No. 1,308,258 to ROSE as issued July 1, 1919; U.S. Pat. No. 1,449,864 to LILLIS as issued Mar. 27, 1923; U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,961 to BIEHL as issued June 17, 1952; U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,588 to SHIELDS as issued on Sept. 4, 1956 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,200 to BABEL as issued on May 6, 1969. These and known apparatus as used in the industry do not suggest the high speed device disclosed. The apparatus of this invention is rather simple in its design and operation but is contemplated to provide a one-at-a-time discharge of a tubular electrical component at delivery rates in excess of ten thousand units per hour. The actual reduced-to-practice apparatus delivers components received from the bottom end of a zig-zag chute at rates from ten to forty thousand units per hour.